Remote Shifter Conversion

[Adam]

Remote Shifter Conversion

Materials Needed:
1. Holden Gemini 1975-1985 TX to TG models
2. Remote Shifter
3. Spacer plate
4. New, longer bolts to attach the shifter (Champion M8 * 30mm from Magnet Mart)
5. Gasket Glue and some gaskets which I made from a Corn Flakes packet
6. 4 normal washers and 4 spring washers

WARNING: Only attempt this conversion if you believe you can do the job competently. Otherwise serious injury or death can occur from vehicle malfunction!

If you have ever driven a Gemini you may have realised that the standard manual gearshift position is in a rather obscure position. I found that the gearshift lever sits too far forward and would be much better if it was slightly further back towards the handbrake.

The following information will help you to relocate your shifter around 100mm further back.

Firstly you need to buy the remote shifter itself. I got mine off a Holden Rodeo which also runs an Isuzu engine and gearbox which means that many parts are interchangeable with Gemini bits (well that’s what I first thought). I’m not sure what year model the shifter was off but I think it was around the late eighties models.

Here is a picture of the shifter on a Gemini 5-speed gearbox.
Note the spacer plate and the back of the shifter touching the g/box



The shifter set me back $100 but I’m sure that you could probably find one cheaper. When I got home I realised that the shifter doesn’t quite bolt onto the g/box without a few modifications. After unbolting the quadrant box to fit the shifter I realised that the shifter bolt holes didn’t quite match up with the holes on the gearbox. The distance between the front holes and the rear holes were wider on the shifter that on the g/box. The simplest fix to this is to put the shifter in a drill press and drill the holes wider so that they line up. Once I had done that I put the shifter back on the g/box and found the next problem. The back end of the shifter hits the top of the rear cover on the g/box and thus a spacer plate is needed. Even if it did fit flush the selector part of the shifter would interfere with the selectors in the g/box because it is too long. So it was time for a trip down to the metal centre for a piece of 6mm aluminium 105*110mm. After drilling holes for the bolts and cutting the centre out I put it on but the selector still interfered with the g/box, so using the bench grinder at work I ground about 3-5mm off the end and now it works perfectly.



Now with that all sorted the only thing to do now is to put the g/box in the car. This will require mods to the transmission tunnel to allow the shifter to be in the right place. A jigsaw with a metal cutting blade should help with this task. Once the shifter is in place you will need to fabricate you own rubber boot to fit around the shifter to block out water, dirt and most of all, noise. even with the rubber boot off slightly it can be very loud inside.

Once the gearbox is in the car you will realise that the gearstick is really long seeing it is out of a commercial vehicle so you will need to shorten it somewhat. Your local metal centre should be able to do this.

And voila the shifter conversion is in place.



I haven’t got round to doing this last step, putting the box in the car, yet but will be doing it real soon so I will update this if needs be if I encounter any further difficulties, or if it’s different in any way.

If you have any further questions or comments email me at nickers@tpg.com.au

Oh and heres another pic

[old forum]

Just a thought, I probably wouldn't bother with the cardboard carton for the gasket, just any of the commercially available gasket compounds on their own should be more than sufficient.

[old forum]

if u did that in a tg u wouldnt have to cut a hole on the
tunnel to change from auto to manual
manual sits approx. 100mm forward of the auto hole.

[old forum]

Would be a good idea for comfort, but I wonder how it would affect shift times?

[old forum]

dramatically. i shortened the shifter and now it has a throw of about 3-4 inches no shit. the only thing now prohibiting my shifting times is my brain making my arm move quicker

[Racegem]

Done the conversion on 'RACEGEM' and seems to work a treat.
Picked up my shifter from the wreckers for $88 and a local Aluminium joint gave me an off-cut for $5 (enough to do 3 spacer plates). Shortened the gearstick once by about 30MM, still have to go a bit shorter.

Used to have a ZZ/R shifter I got for $90 in my last Gem, a yellow TC Coupe, 9 years ago. Ringing around now, Gemsu in Melb. had one, and a buyer for $500 with genuine console. Now kicking myself that I sold the TC with the shifter still in it.
Now to make a console.

[Nick]

Cool. good to know that my information helped

[fullysicgeminibro]

Nick, an excellent and well written handy hint for us DIY people, and just a quick note to JFK to clarify, yes the auto shifter does sit further back, but if you look under the car im sure you will realise that there is only a small hole for a small linkage, and that Nick did need to cut the hole in the floor.

[Stock TE]

I got a Piazza shifter for $50 and the gearstick sits nearly 2 inches further back than the Rodeo gearstick. They bolt straight on to the gearbox and it also bolts to the small holes just behind where Rodeo shifter sits

[Stock TE]

Had a look at the tunnel of an auto gem and the hole for the shifter is almost the same size as the hole in the tunnel for a manual gem. Just thought I'd clarify this for Nick and fullysicgeminibro.

[Steven]

Importers are a cheap souce because they only ditch em. The imported shifter will bolt straight onto quadrant and rear support mount on fine spline boxes. The imported gem / piazza shifters are also SHORT SHIFTERS, which are sweet to use after experiencing the original.
They will require the tunnel height lifted upto the handbrake and the fluid lines reshaped to guarantee clearance.